


Butterbeer Cork Disaster

by Wasted_Fox



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-24
Updated: 2020-07-24
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:41:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25486414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wasted_Fox/pseuds/Wasted_Fox
Summary: Lily’s best friend is going to wear a hideous necklace to her date. Lily to the rescue!





	Butterbeer Cork Disaster

“Willow Jane, am I fighting a boggart right now, because this is Riddikulus!” Lily exclaims.

“You are ridiculous”, retorts a girl standing in front of the mirror, trying on a butterbeer cork necklace.

“Am I right, Pam?” Do back me up, Pam. Don't just sit there behind the book catalogue, like you're not my best friend.

“I don't know”, the book catalogue says, stretching the words out. “I know nothing about this boy. Or the charm.”

"It's not enchanted, so not a charm", the girl at the mirror answers and makes a step back for a better view.

"It's not just some boy. It’s _the_ Secret Admirer", Lily says with a smirk and gets a dirty look from the reflection. "Now, why did you choose to impress him with this particular piece?”

"He designed it."

"He did not! Besides, 'designed' is too strong a word, don’t you think?" Lily says. “Back me up, Pam.” Silence. “You better start backing me up, girl...”

"Or what?" Pam asks innocently, marking something in the catalogue.

"Or... Or else." Lily knows she will never leave her friend or hurt her in any way. Even thinking about it makes her unhappy. Hopefully Pam won't turn out to be a dark witch like that Bellatrix woman whom Grandma killed at war thousands of years ago. Otherwise, Lily will be in trouble, because, let's admit it, she is a sucker for Pam.

Willow Jane is her best friend too, don't get this wrong. And a part of their trio. A significant part and will always be that. But when there’re choices to be made, like with whom to partner during Potions, it’s always Pam and Lily, Lily and Pam, with Willow Jane sitting at closest proximity, passing notes to their desk right under the beaky nose of Professor Snape, risking it all and living to her fullest. If they sat differently, everyone including Willow Jane would be so much surprised.

Maybe Willow Jane deserves a better friend than Lily, and she definitely deserves a better necklace than that. And probably a better boyfriend or whatever they call themselves. Because believe her, Lily has seen her share of butterbeer cork accessories, hundreds of gifts from Aunt Luna. And guess what? They can be tasteful. There’s even a pair of earrings Mum actually wears not only around the Scamanders, and Mum is one picky lady.

Who’s that secret admirer anyway? Hopefully not one of the twins who inherited Aunt Luna’s weirdness, but not her talent. Besides, they’re like 3 grades behind her, ugh, it’d be almost like dating a toddler.

Lily reaches for the box under her bed.

“Let me introduce you to some fine jewelry, my friend”, she says, feeling old and wise and tired of it all.

“Can you really call plastic strawberries and fake pearls jewelry?” Pam asks, diving into the fantasy section. “Let alone fine.”

“Well, they are okay, right? So I guess, they’re fine”, Lily says cheerfully, and she whispers into Pam’s ear, “You are not helping.” Pam smiles.

“Are those fox tails?” Willow Jane asks, fishing out a pair of orange earrings from the box. “Never saw you wear them. Are they new?”

“Yes and yes. That’s what we, at Lily’s Lovely Labels, call chic and fun.”

“Can I?”

“Not only can you, you absolutely must. And we here, at Lily’s Lovely Labels, have an offer today. You can trade your boyfriend’s necklace for something that actually looks good on you. If you wish, of course.”

“Hmm, sounds like a very specific offer”, Willow Jane says, taking off her silver studs and replacing them with plastic fox tails. “Hopefully, you didn’t suffer from the lack of clients.”

“Oh, don’t you worry, we’ve had hundreds of customers today, just like you, Miss. Don’t know what to do with all those corks we’ve gathered.”

“Just bury them under a ton of your jewelry which is just fine”, says Pam. “Seriously, Lily, where did you get all that? It’s like a pirate’s chest.”

“I’ve got five uncles who never know what to give me since I grew out of teddy bears. I guess, I’ll simply write on my forehead “Quidditch supplies”, maybe someone finally takes a hint.”

“But you like jewelry”, Willow Jane says, taking off the necklace.

“Not as much as I’d like dragon-hide gloves that tighten your grip and a broom that’s not an old Firebolt Supreme. It’s so slow and shaky, it makes me cry… or put things on fire.”

“Is this what happened to your previous broom?” Pam asks from behind the catalogue.

“Don’t tell my parents! They still think it was the twins’ magic outburst. So are you wearing them to your date or not?” Lily points at the earrings. “Here, at Lily’s Lovely Labels, we are happy to lend stuff to our best friends.”

“Does it mean I also get to choose something?” Pam asks.

“No, you are wearing butterbeer corks.”


End file.
